Deming Armory

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<p>The building, designed by architect <a href="/facts/Trost_%2526_Trost/e99qFJlL">Henry C. Trost</a>, was originally constructed as a <a href="/facts/National_Guard_of_the_United_States/oMCltGFe">National Guard</a> armory. The building was the first armory to be built after New Mexico became a state in 1912.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>  It was constructed to train soldiers to guard the border with Mexico during the ongoing <a href="/facts/Mexican_Revolution/00UPAByl">Mexican Revolution</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>
</p><p>The armory served the <a href="/facts/New_Mexico_National_Guard/lQsyztxs">New Mexico National Guard</a> for 60 years.  The building housed a chapter of the <a href="/facts/United_Service_Organizations/caau7EbB">USO</a> during <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>, in support of the men training at <a href="/facts/Deming_Municipal_Airport/uyayo0BE">Deming Army Airfield</a>. During the years that the building served as a military facility, it was also used as a community center for hosting dances, basketball games and other local events.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p><p>Two events in 1976 contributed towards the launch of a campaign to acquire the Deming Armory as new premises for the town's museum.  First, the National Guard vacated the building and moved to a new facility on the south side of Deming.  Second, a local businessman, Hubert Ruebush, offered to donate his mother's old electric <a href="/facts/Washing_machine/8Nr6modd">washing machine</a>, the first such washer in Deming, to the museum.  When Ruebush learned that the museum could not accommodate the washer in its cramped facilities, he donated $6000 to acquire the armory on the condition that his donation be matched through local <a href="/facts/Fundraising/63QtXeVr">fundraising</a>.  Ruebush's condition was quickly satisfied, and a delegation from Deming subsequently negotiated a selling price of $11,500 for the building with the State Armory Board in <a href="/facts/Santa_Fe%2c_New_Mexico/BJQf3fmj">Santa Fe</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>
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<h2 id="architecture">Architecture</h2>
<p>The Deming Armory is an imposing red-brick building, two stories in height and resting on a raised basement.  It comprises three <a href="/facts/Bay_(architecture)/tBSo6YTS">bays</a> along the front elevation, with a depth of nine bays, and <a href="/facts/Pilaster/jTyy3A4r">pilasters</a> divide the side elevations.  The facade is characterized by decorative <a href="/facts/Brickwork/Gt2lU5SJ">brickwork</a>, concrete detailing, and a large central arch leading to double-leaf doors.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a>  The walls of the building are 13 inches (330 mm) thick.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
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<h2 id="deming-luna-mimbres-museum">Deming Luna Mimbres Museum</h2>
<p>The Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, also known as the Deming Luna County Museum, is operated by the Luna County Historical Society.  The museum's exhibits focus on the everyday lives and history of area residents.  Collections include <a href="/facts/Mimbres_pottery/zrQdGxfo">Mimbres pottery</a>, dolls and toys, glass, china, crystal, teapots, silver, copper and Depression glass, and saddles and ranching equipment.  Other exhibits include period rooms, furniture, paintings, tools, clothes, Native American artifacts, gems and geodes, weapons, war memorabilia, vehicles and farm equipment.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/National_Register_of_Historic_Places_listings_in_Luna_County%2c_New_Mexico/qAyBgSjf">National Register of Historic Places listings in Luna County, New Mexico</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/">Deming Luna Mimbres Museum</a> - Luna County Historical Society</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Museum History". Deming Luna Mimbres Museum. Luna County Historical Society. Retrieved August 3, 2013. <a href="http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-history" target="_blank">http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-history</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Deming Armory". Henry C. Trost Historical Organization. Retrieved August 3, 2013. <a href="http://www.henrytrost.org/buildings/deming-armory/" target="_blank">http://www.henrytrost.org/buildings/deming-armory/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Deming Armory". Henry C. Trost Historical Organization. Retrieved August 3, 2013. <a href="http://www.henrytrost.org/buildings/deming-armory/" target="_blank">http://www.henrytrost.org/buildings/deming-armory/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Super, David (2000). Still Serving: Reusing America's Historic National Guard Armories (PDF). National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Guard Bureau. pp. 25–28. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2021. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20121017120930/https://www.denix.osd.mil/cr/upload/STILL_SERVING_HIGH-RES_0.PDF" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20121017120930/https://www.denix.osd.mil/cr/upload/STILL_SERVING_HIGH-RES_0.PDF</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Super, David (2000). Still Serving: Reusing America's Historic National Guard Armories (PDF). National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Guard Bureau. pp. 25–28. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2021. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20121017120930/https://www.denix.osd.mil/cr/upload/STILL_SERVING_HIGH-RES_0.PDF" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20121017120930/https://www.denix.osd.mil/cr/upload/STILL_SERVING_HIGH-RES_0.PDF</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"Downtown Deming Historic District" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Registration. National Park Service. 2012. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 4, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150104072022/http://www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/assets/files/register-nominations/Downtown%20Deming%20Historic%20District_NRHP%20nomination.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150104072022/http://www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/assets/files/register-nominations/Downtown%20Deming%20Historic%20District_NRHP%20nomination.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>"Museum History". Deming Luna Mimbres Museum. Luna County Historical Society. Retrieved August 3, 2013. <a href="http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-history" target="_blank">http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-history</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>"Museum Highlights". Deming Luna Mimbres Museum. Retrieved April 3, 2014. <a href="http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-highlights" target="_blank">http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-highlights</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Deming Armory open-in-new

Deming Armory